The $77 per month rate increase in disability assistance announced by the BC government on February 16 sounded like good news at first. But like a photograph that fades out toward the edges, the increase—the first in nine years—began to disappear the closer I got to the edges of the truth. The Times Colonist called it the “now you see it now you don’t” benefit increase.

Here are the facts:

The net increase People with Disabilities will receive will vary according to the cost of transportation supports they already receive from the government.

45,000 British Columbians who do not receive the special transportation subsidy or live in areas not serviced by Translink or BC Transit or choose not to purchase the government subsidized bus pass will see a $77 net increase to their monthly benefit

35,000 British Columbians who live in communities served by Translink or BC Transit currently receive an annual, “almost free” subsidized bus pass if they apply for it and pay a $45 annual administration fee. Under the new regime, if they want to continue to receive the bus pass, they will have $52 deducted from their monthly benefit and they will still have to pay the annual $45 fee. The result is that they will only see a small net increase of $25 to their monthly cheque.

20,000 British Columbians who cannot take public transit, currently receive a special transportation subsidy as a lump-sum annual payment of $790.56 in addition to their disability benefit. Beginning in September, this benefit will be paid monthly by adding $66 to their monthly cheque. But because this is already a previous benefit, their net increase will only be a paltry $11 per month

The government summarized these changes in this misleading chart below which was removed from the BC Gov’t website here.

This chart is misleading because in the column “CURRENT UNEVEN RATES” the government includes the “Transportation Supports” in the monthly PWD amounts when in fact, monthly disability cheques currently do not include them. Those allowances and bus passes are administered and received as additional separate benefits. Currently the monthly cheque for a single person with disabilities is the same for everyone, $906.42 whether or not you qualify for a bus pass or other transportation subsidy.

The government justifies these changes by saying they are about creating fairness and equity for the 45,000 people who weren’t receiving any transportation supports. But their attempts at equality, through monetizing the transportation supports and distributing $983 worth of benefits equally does not automatically create equal outcomes.

For example: people with disabilities who live in communities where a bus pass purchased directly from BC Transit costs less than $52 will have more money in their pocket for rent and food than their counterparts living in Metro Vancouver and other cities where the costs of living are significantly higher.

Where you Live

Monthly Benefit

Cost of Subsidized Bus Pass

Cost of non- subsidized Bus Pass*

Balance left for groceries and shelter after paying for transportation

The government’s attempt to bring more equality has not erased inequities in the system. It has created greater inequity and injustice. This is especially true when it comes to housing costs.

Where is the justice in the system when a person with disabilities who needs a bus pass and who lives in Vancouver has less money for shelter and groceries than a person living in Smithers where shelter costs are significantly lower? If the government is truly committed to creating a level playing field, as Social Development Minister Michelle Stilwell stated, disability supports should include “a portability that reflects regional variations in the costs of necessities like transportation and utilities”.

Using figures from 2011, the average rent for a bachelor apartment in Vancouver was $839. After paying $52 for a subsidized bus pass that leaves just $40 for food and clothing ($931-$839-$52). The gross injustice is apparent even if you use the government’s own outdated Cost of Living calculator which pegs the average cost for a small 500 sq. ft apartment in East Vancouver at $645. After paying rent and buying a subsidized bus pass, a disabled Vancouverite will have only $286 for groceries, grooming, clothing and basic communication (telephone). According to a 2009 BC Stats survey of household spending the average costs for these after shelter needs was $602 monthly. This means a person with disabilities experiences a gap of over $300 between what they receive and what it costs to live. And yet the best the BC government can do after 9 years of frozen rates–among the lowest in the country–is to give people with disabilities less than $18 per week and then have the gall to clawback two thirds by charging them $12 per week if they need a bus pass.

It’s hard to understand why the outcry over the #buspassclawback took the government by surprise. When people have a sense that they are at an unfair disadvantage relative to others, or that they have not received their “fair share,” they will challenge the system that is responsible for the injustice. This is especially likely to happen if a person’s or group’s fundamental needs are not being met, or if there are large discrepancies between the “haves” and the “have-nots.”

Photo credit: @couragesings

It is past the time that the BC government heeded the evidence-based recommendation of disability advocacy groups and raised the PWD benefit to $1200–a level that begins to approach the true cost of living in this province and would reduce the gap between what people with disabilities need for basic essentials and what they get.

The Minister is correct when he says, “The measure of any society is reflected in the degree to which it is willing to help the most vulnerable and create the kind of supports that will truly make a difference in their lives” (budget speech). By this measure, BC is failing our most vulnerable.

Friends, you can make a difference by signing the petition here to restore the $45/year bus pass and raise the PWD benefit rate.